


Prelude to The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn

by CrescentMoonRising



Series: The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn [1]
Category: British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, Prelude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 13:45:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2271987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrescentMoonRising/pseuds/CrescentMoonRising
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a short snippet for two characters from The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn- Benedict Cumberbatch and his best friend Noelle Garguilo. This takes place in June of 2010.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude to The Night is Darkest Before the Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't necessary for the chapter series, but is a look into Ben and Noelle's relationship.

Noelle sprinted up to the door to Monmouth, her full paisley lined skirt swishing around her. She was so happy with the unseasonably warm weather in London for early June. The people she passed on the street looked practically dumbfounded as the sun shone brightly through the buildings. Each crevice and alleyway was warmed by the sun’s beams streaming between them. The windows of the shops on the street around her sparkled and shone, almost as if they were brand new.

She slowly peered in the side of Monmouth’s large paneled windows to view the occupants in the seating area by the front doors. She was surprised to see her companion sitting at one of the forefront tables; blissfully enjoying the peace and relative anonymity.

Taking a huge breath, she walked into the café, quickly embraced with the smells of coffee, sweets and chocolate. Her mouth watered at the sight of the rows of scones and biscuits that had been just presented within the Lucite counters. The tourists around Noelle were oblivious to the sacred timing for afternoon tea. They milled around the registers and counters, enjoying their coffees in to go containers. 

She snaked through the crowd, brushing down her blouson top before she reached her friend. She released her hair from behind her neck, allowing it to flow gently on the side of her face. She relaxed her eyes, forcing her smile to disappear from her face. 

She slowly sneaked up on her target, just as Ben was placing another strawberry jam dodger in his mouth. She stood in his view for a second before he looked up at her. Catching her upturned eyebrow, a slow smile spread across his face. 

“What?” he said as little crumbs tumbled from his mouth. “They’re fantastic and I couldn’t help myself. I ordered them for you. How in the world could I forget they’re your favorite?”

He started to rise and greet her, but she shooed him into his seat. “Of course you remembered, Mr. Holmes. I’d be completely aghast if you didn’t.” 

He shushed her loudly, “Keep it down, Noelle! The last thing I need is a cavalry storming the table at us.” He looked back and forth dramatically at the people around them. “This could be a hideout for Sir Conan-Doyle’s rabid fans. I could be captured and tortured. Or worse!” She had to restrain herself from smiling back at his wide grin. 

Ben’s face fell as she sat down, feeling the weight of her world around her. “Noelle. I hate to see you like this. It’ s not like you to be this melancholy for this long.” He sat back, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow. He was about to open his mouth again when a waitress blessedly came to take Noelle’s order. 

After requesting her favorite Chai tea, she folded her arms in her lap. Her fingers twisted in the flowers adorning her legs as she bowed her head. A long, unnatural pause filled the table, filled by the sounds of the patrons talking and laughing around them. As the seconds ticked on, Ben’s face grew firmer and he bent forward towards her.

“I swear to God, Noelle, if that degenerate has done anything else to hurt you…” he began. His anger was spilling forth now, words coming at a rapid-fire pace. 

Noelle immediately waved her hand away at Ben, shaking her head in dissent. “No! No, it’s not him, I promise.” Ben breathed tightly, inhaling deeply as she gave further explanation, “I’m alright, really. It’s been an absolutely crazy coming back home and I’m trying to remove myself from all the drama.” Sadly, she wasn’t exaggerating this part of her role. 

The waitress returned and brought her tea. Three small star anise floated along the top of the porcelain cup. She smelled the sweet woodsy aroma before adding some milk and stirring it carefully. “How’s Olivia?” she asked, hoping to delay the inevitable for a little while longer. 

Ben pursed his lips, his eyes still cool to her. “She’s fine, working in the States right now. It’s been quite hectic, and with me leaving for North Hampshire in a few months, she’s not pleased.” He reached across the table with his long arms and grabbed her left wrist.

“What can I do? Talk to me, Noelle.”

She held his hand lightly, hoping to hold it together as she began. She dropped her voice and placed her other hand around her tea cup. She twisted it in her fingers, allowing it to encircle the saucer like a pirouetting dancer. 

“North Hampshire. That’s for the big movie with the director not to be named, correct?”

He nodded in assent with her. The two knew that the information was kept quiet since the cast for War Horse wouldn’t be announced for at least another week. Noelle looked downward and bit her lip before she commenced, “Did you know they were hiring over forty assistants and artists for the makeup crew?”

At her tone, Ben’s face completely fell and his eyes even appeared to become watery at his friend’s plight. “Oh Noelle,…” he sighed.

She squeezed his hand as her smile refused to be contained any longer. “Well, then, I guess I’m lucky that I’m available to be one of the forty.” She winked across at her old friend, watching as the realization spread across his face.

The yell Ben gave caused several patrons around them to jump in surprise. His long legs banged into the table as he flew up and deftly circled them to pull Noelle up into a warm embrace. Her feet skimmed the floor as his hands wrapped around the small of her back, his laughter ringing in her ears.

“This is amazing! I’m so happy for you, my darling girl! We’re going to be working together; it’s what we’ve always talked about.” He rested his chin on the side of her face, and she couldn’t help giggling at his enthusiasm.

She released herself from his grip and the two sat back down, laughter still resonating around them. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, attempting to bring the conversation back to a serious note.

“Before we do this, I have to say something to you. I’m not going to ask, I don’t need to know, but….I have a feeling you had a hand with getting me onto this production.”

Ben immediately became interested in the tourists outside the front window, ignoring Noelle’s stern but warm gaze. He ran his long fingers through his hair and took a large gulp of his now cold tea. Noelle reached across and placed a hand on his forearm, sighing gently.

“All I will say right now is thank you, Ben. Thank you for being such a good friend to me. You always have been.” The warmth between the two belied their friendly relationship. 

He kept his focus on the door, but his lips betrayed his stern countenance— a small smirk appeared on the corners. 

She grabbed a dodger, famished from the whole conversation and ready to finally relax. “So, the two of us working together— it’s going to be quite a show. Is there anyone else that I might know that’s in the cast?” 

He waved over the waitress to warm up his tea, and grabbed a cookie for himself. “Well, Jeremy Irvine has been cast as Albert. He’s fairly green, but there’s a few established actors who are in the cast—Emily Watson is playing his mother.”

She nodded, the excitement and relief finally washing over her body. She allowed her shoulders to rest against the back of her chair and she placed her teacup in her lap. She lazily watched as Ben continued, “There’s a great deal of young actors and actresses on the film, since our roles are to play soldiers who are practically babies.”

She nodded, “Well, it’s going to be good having you around. I’ll appreciate having a friendly face with me.”

Ben laughed and perked up slightly, “Oh! You know who else is going to be on this? One of my good friends, he went to Eton. He’s going to be breaking big soon; you may have heard of him—Tom Hiddleston?”

Noelle drank her tea, shaking her head. ”Can’t say that I have.”


End file.
